The proportion of girls failing Danish and mathematics at the 9th-grade leaving exam in Denmark has risen, surpassing the failure rate of boys in these subjects. This development has prompted concern from the Minister for Children and Education.

Figures extracted by the Danish Employers’ Confederation reveal a notable shift. In 2019, 6.1 percent of girls failed both Danish and mathematics. By 2024, this percentage had nearly doubled to 11.5 percent.

In comparison, the failure rate for boys also increased during the same period, but less dramatically. It rose from 7.7 percent in 2019 to 9.7 percent in 2024.

Minister for Children and Education Mattias Tesfaye has expressed his concern about this trend. He acknowledged that while past attention has focused on boys’ academic struggles, these new figures indicate a need to investigate the challenges faced by girls.

The Minister intends to examine the underlying causes of this development among girls. This investigation will include assessing whether the trend is consistent across various socio-economic backgrounds and whether similar patterns are emerging in neighboring countries.

Despite this concerning trend, girls overall still maintain a higher grade point average upon leaving primary school compared to boys.